Author Archives: Israel Galindo

About Israel Galindo

Israel Galindo is Coordinator of the Leadership in Ministry program at the Center for Lifelong Learning, Columbia Theological Seminary. Formerly he was Associate Dean for Lifelong Learning at Columbia Theological Seminary and Dean at the Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond.

Hitchens isn’t so great either

Posted on June 27, 2007 by Israel Galindo

Christopher Hitchens’ book, God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything appears on the New York Bestseller list as No. 7 (you can read the first chapter on that site if you are so inclined). I picked up a copy … Continue reading →

Posted in books, world view | Comments Off on Hitchens isn’t so great either

Icebreakers and rainy day games resource

Posted on June 25, 2007 by Israel Galindo

When I was in parish ministry one of the things I most enjoyed was planning and leading the summer children’s camp. I doubt I have the energy to do that anymore, but it was a lot of fun. There are … Continue reading →

Posted in children, games, handouts, vacation bible school | 2 Comments

Ante Studium

Posted on June 22, 2007 by Israel Galindo

Some time age I posted Johnn Calvin’s student prayer and said that I’d post one by St. Thomas Aquinas. Here it is. When it’s time to hit the books or get back to school, these can put one in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Education, personal growth, teaching, Uncategorized, worship | Comments Off on Ante Studium

The double bind in the ministry context

Posted on June 21, 2007 by Israel Galindo

I had an uncle who was fond of playing a game with our large brood of cousins. He’d stare stone-faced at one of us and ask, with all apparent seriousness, “Tu eres bobo?” Which loosely translated is, “Are you an … Continue reading →

Posted in bowen family systems theory, children, personal growth | 1 Comment

The three main interventions

Posted on June 20, 2007 by Israel Galindo

Neils Bohr said, “An expert is a person who has made all the mistakes that can be made in a very narrow field.” I’ve come to the notion that being an expert merely comes down to three things: knowledge, experience, … Continue reading →

Posted in bowen family systems theory, second chair | 1 Comment

Galli’s “The Cost of Christian Education”

Posted on June 18, 2007 by Israel Galindo

Last week I received an e-mail from a theology student at a seminary in Brazil. He’s taking a class in apologetics and wanted me to share my thoughts on, “How can I prove God historically?” I found the question vague … Continue reading →

Posted in children, Christian Education, Sunday school, teaching | Comments Off on Galli’s “The Cost of Christian Education”

Levels of adult C.E. programming

Posted on June 15, 2007 by Israel Galindo

Someone asked me for a list of congregations who had “strong adult education ministries.” I knew what he was asking, but the more I thought about it, the less able I was to compile a list. I got stuck on … Continue reading →

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Knowing when to fold ’em

Posted on June 14, 2007 by Israel Galindo

Congregational staff who occupy the “second chair” often find themselves in a precarious position related to the prospects of their tenure. Sometimes circumstances dictate this, but also, the relationship with the senior pastor can be a big determinative factor. One … Continue reading →

Posted in leadership, personal growth, second chair | 3 Comments

Shameless self-promotion

Posted on June 13, 2007 by Israel Galindo

An article by Israel Galindo titled “Perspectives on Educational Planning” appears in this month’s issue of Baptists Today (Vol. 25, No. 6, June 2007). You can download the article at their “The Resource Page” section. Be sure to check out … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Shameless self-promotion

Developmental Christian education formation programming

Posted on June 13, 2007 by Israel Galindo

Developmental Christian education formation program planning is an approach that seeks to shape the educational programs in a congregation around the faith development needs of the members. While it appears to use an “age-graded” structure to programs, planning also incorporates … Continue reading →

Posted in assessment, Christian Education | Comments Off on Developmental Christian education formation programming